<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-03-31</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000099359</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRANSTECHNOLOGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209423</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ABRAMOWITZ DANIEL H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2002-07-18</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>773</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>10.35</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1613</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Award of restricted stock pursuant to Issuer's Amended and Restated 1992 Long Term Incentive Plan exempt under Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Mr. Abramowitz has direct beneficial ownership of 1,613 shares of Common Stock, as listed in Column 5 of Table I.  Mr. Abramowitz also has indirect beneficial ownership of 90,200 shares which are owned by Hillson Partners Limited Partnership, of which Hillson Financial Management, Inc. is the General Partner.  Mr. Abramowitz is the President and controlling stockholder of Hillson Financial Management, Inc.  Mr. Abramowitz has sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to the shares owned by Hillson Partners Limited Partnership.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Daniel H. Abramowitz</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

